Apparatus for recording-compasses.



APPLICATION FILED DBO. 18, 1908.

Patented Nov. 9, 1909.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWIN SCHUETTE AND NICHOLAS DEDRICK, OF MANITOWOG, -WIISGONSIN; SAID DEDRICK ASSIGNOR T0 SAID SCHUETTE.

APPARATUS FOR RECORDING-COMPASSES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Original application filed June 22, 1908, Serial No. 441,892. Divided and this application filed December 18, 1908. Serial No. 488,105.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that-we, EDWIN SCHUETTE and NICHOLAS Dnnnrox, both of Manitowoc, Wisconsin, have invented an Apparatus for Recording-Compasses, of which the following is a specification.

The invention disclosed and claimed in this application is a division of our United States Patent application No. a41,892, filed June 22, 1908, in which application the nature and scope of the recording compass of which this forms a part is fully explained.

The object of this apparatus is to produce a substantially frictionless commutating device which is operated by the compass-needle and can be moved by the directive force acting on the latter without ex erting any substantial retardation or disturbance upon the needle; and in general to produce a practical and superior construc tion of compass and the appurtenances thereof necessary for operating our recording or registering device. We wish it understood, however, that while the device herein described is designed especially for use with our recording compass, it may also be utilized in many other forms of recording com ass.

For the better understanding of our invention we have described hereinbelow a concrete form thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings of the same, wherem- Figure 1 is a .plan view of the compassbox; Fig. 2 is a central vertical section of the central parts of the same, showing the compass needle and connected apparatus; Fig. 3 is a side elevation and Fig. 4 a plan view on a magnified scale of the contact star-wheel; and Fig. 5 is a perspective of the pivotal center-contact-piece.

In these drawings every reference letter and numeral refers always to the same part.

In Figs. 1 and 2 is shown a rectangular case a wherein is suspended the compass (4 by means of a gimbal-ring a with pivot-mountings (L a at right angles with one another, as customary in ships compasses. The compass herein shown is pro vided with a glass top-plate a which closes the interior of the box, which is filled with liquid and in which the needle 10, here shown as of the built up type formed of a large number of magnetized steel bars or 1 wires inclosed in pontoons and carrying the annular compass-card 11, is floated, said needle 10 turning on a suitable pivot (not shown) and its weight largely removed from said pivot by means of a float 12. These features are illustrated merely by way of example and are not in themselves a part of our invention. The glass-plate a is preferably domed so that any entrapped air shall converge to the center, and it is perforated by a hole 13 in which is inserted the stem 14E of a circular base 15 and secured thereto by a nut 16 on the under side of the plate a. The base 15 is threaded on its periphery and there is secured thereto an annular block 17 of insulating material such as hard rubber, in which is set a ring of contact-points a which here take the form of posts projecting through to the under side of the block 17, and to their lower ends (see Fig. 2) are connected severally an equal number of electric circuit wires 0, which lead to the registering apparatus, and may be disposed either in accordance with our recording compass as set forth in the above-named prior patent application, or in any other way, such arrangement not forming a part of the present invention. The base 15 has a central passageway 18, and an upright stem 19 mounted on the fioat 12 directly over the pivot passes through said passageway and carries on its upper end the contact-arm a, which latter is secured thereto by means of a pivot-stem 20 which screws onto the upper end of the stem 19 over the contact-arm a and clamps it down upon a shoulder 21 on the latter. The stem 20 projects upwardly above the arm a and its end is pointed to receive a pivoted element 22, which, as shown in Fig. 2, has a conical recess 28 on its under side resting upon the point of the stem 20; said member being held in upright position by a weighted ring 24: below the point of the stem 20 and connected with the member by arms 25. The member 22 has a transverse perforation 26 adapted to receive the end of a fine connecting-wire 27, which is secured in place in said hole by a bindingscrew 28. The other end of the wire 27 is connected with a binding-post 29 on the block 17, to which post on the lower face of the block is connected the conductor of the main circuit, the latter being bound up with the other wires 6 belonging to the posts a". As means of getting these wires out without interfering with the free movement of the compass on its gimbals, they are divided into two parts and carried out on opposite sides of the box a in line with the pivots a being preferably inclosed in small rubber tubes 30, and they are secured to the gimbal ring a by cleats 31 immediately over the pivots, and pass around said gimbalring to one of the pivots (H, where they are united in an inclosing tube 32 and pass out parallel to and over the pivot a being secured by means of a cleat 83, and thence leading to a multiple plug-switch 34 on the side of the box a. Said switch is in two halves, the free half 35 being readily disconnectible from the fixed half and carrying the wires as a whole through a tube 36 to the recording instrument. This arrangement is not essential to our invention, but provides a convenient means of attaching and detaching the recording-instrument wires to the box in a body. It should be understood that the wires (2 are very fine and flexible and therefore do not interfere sensibly with the swinging of the compass upon its gimbals.

The special means which we have devised for making frictionless contact between the arm a and posts (0 consists of a light starwheel 37, comprising a light pivotcap 3S and a set of equidistant arms 39 radiating therefrom; said cap 38 having a conical bearing 4L0 which turns upon a pointed pivot-pin ll mounted on the end of the arm a. The position of the arms 89 is such that one of them always projects between adjacent pins a and therefore contacts with one or the other of said adjacent pins but never with both at the same time. The friction-resistance of contact is therefore reduced to the sliding resistance of the arms 39' over the pins a and the pivotal resistance of the bearing %0 upon its pivot 41; both of which are so slight as to be practically imperceptible, and which we have found do not interfere sensibly with the movements of the magnetic needle. As however the needle 19 is always sub ect to some rocking or swaying upon its pivot, such swaying would interfere with the central position of the arm a and would cause the star-wheel 37 to be thrown against the pins a or withdrawn therefrom so as to interfere with its proper action, and to avoid this we provide a side-bearing 42 for the stem 20, which said hearing as here shown is in the form of a hollow cylinder provided with anti-friction balls 3% on its interior periphery. Said balls are so arranged that they do not closely confine the stem 20, but merely limit its lateral movement, so that said stem in swaying with the needle strikes the balls on one side or the other, which offer no resistance to rotation. The bearing 42 is suitably mounted on a bridge ll which is supported on upright posts 4E5 mounted in the block 17 on opposite sides of the center.

lVhile we have hereinabove shown the most improved form of our invention, we wish it understood that not all. of the features are essential thereto or necessarily made in the exact form shown, but various changes and modifications in the constructions as herein shown may be made without departing from the spirit of our invention, and we wish it understood therefore that the latter is not otherwise limited than by the reasonable scope of our claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a recording-compass, the combinzr tion of a ring of contact-points, a contactarm mounted to rotate about an axis concentric therewith, and an antifriction de vice rotatably mounted on the end of said contact-arm and adapted to contact successively with said points and be rotated thereby as said arm turns about its axis.

2. In a recording-compass, the combination of a ring of contact-points, a contactarm mounted to rotate about an axis eon centric therewith, and a star-wheel rotatably mounted on the end of said contact-arm and adapted to contact successively with said points as said arm turns about its axis.

3. In a recording-compass, means for making frictionless electric contact with the axis of the needle comprising, in connection with the magnetic needle, a central pivotpoint rising vertically therefrom, a counter balanced pivot-member having a recessed bearing resting and freely moving upon said pivot-point and means for connecting the pole of an electric circuit with said pivot-member.

4t. In a recording-compass, means for making frictionless electric contact with the axis of the needle comprising, in connection with the magnetic needle, a central pivotpoint rising vertically therefrom, a member resting and freely movable on said pivotpoint, means for attaching one pole of an electric-circuit to said member, and means for counter-balancing said member to hold it upright on said pivot-point.

5. In a recording-compass, means for making frictionless electric contact with the axis of the needle comprising, in connection with the magnetic needle, a central pivotpoint rising vertically therefrom, a member resting and freely movable on said pivotpoint, means for attaching one pole of an electric-circuit to said member, and weighted counterbalance arms radiating from and extending below the level of said pivot-point.

6. In a recording-compass, means for making frictionless electric contact with the axis of the needle comprising, in connection with the magnetic needle, a central pivotpoint rising vertically therefrom, a member resting and freely movable on said pivotpoint, means for attaching one pole of an electric-circuit to said member, and a circular 'counterbalanee-weight below the level of said pivot-point mounted on said member.

7. In a recording-compass, the combination of a ring of vertical contact-pins, a contact-arm mounted to rotate on a vertical axis at the center of said ring of pins, an upright pivot-pin mounted on the end of said contact-arm, and a star-wheel comprising a bearing-cap resting rotatably on said pivot-point and a plurality of radial arms extending outwardly therefrom and adapted to engage successively between successive contact-pins as said arm rotates.

8. In a recording-compass, means for causing the needle to make and break a plurality of electro-circuits as it changes in direction, the same comprising an upright stem mounted on the needle and coincident with the pivotal axis thereof, a contactarm mounted upon said stem in a substantially horizontal plane, a ring of contact-pins concentric with said arm, a star-wheel pivotally mounted on the end of said arm and having radiating arms adapted to engage successively between said pins, a pivot-point on said stem surmounting said contact-arm, and a counterbalanced pivot-member resting and freely moving on said pivot-point, said pivotanember making electrical connection with one of said contact-pins through said pivot-point, contact-arm, and star-wheel.

9. In a recording-compass, means for causing the needle to make and break a plurality of electric circuits as it changes in direction, the same comprising an upright stem mounted on the needle and coincident with the pivotal axis thereof, a contact-arm mounted upon said stem in a substantially horizontal plane, a ring of contact-pins concentric with said arm, a star-wheel pivotally mounted on the end of said arm and having radiating arms adapted to engage successively between said pins, a pivot-point on said stem surmounting said contact-arm, a counterbalanced pivot-member resting and freely moving on said pivot-point, said.

pivot-member making electrical connection with one of said contact-pins through said pivot-point, contact-arm and star-wheel, an electric-circuit having one pole connected to said pivot-member, and a plurality of conductors equal in number to said contact-pins and connected to the respective contact-pins.

10. In a recording-compass, means for causing the needle to make and break a plurality of electric circuits as it changes in direction, the same comprising an upright stem mounted on the needle coincident with the pivotal axis thereof, a contact-arm mounted upon said stem in a substantially horizontal plane, a ring of contact-pins concentric with said arm, a star-wheel mounted on the end of said arm and having radiating arms adapted to engage successively between said pins, an upright stem above said contact-arm and a bearing surrounding said upright stem.

11. In a recording-compass, means for causing the needle to make and break a plurality of electric circuits as it changes in direction, the same comprising an upright stem mounted on the needle coincident With the pivotal axis thereof, a contactarm mounted upon said stem in a substantially horizontal plane, a ring of contact-pins concentric with said arm, a star-wheel mounted on the end of said arm and having radiating arms adapted to engage successively between said pins, an uprightstem above said contact-arm, a loose annular bearing surrounding said stem, and a plurality of antifriction balls carried in said loose annular bearing.

12. In a recording-compass, means for causing the needle to make and break a plurality of electric circuits as it changes in direction, the same comprising an upright stem mounted on the needle coincident with the pivotal axis thereof, a contact-arm mounted upon said stem in a substantially horizontal plane, a ring of contact-pins concentric With said arm, a star-wheel mounted on the end of said arm having radiating arms adapted to engage successively between said pins, an upright stem above said contact-arm, a loose annular bearing surrounding said stem, a plurality of antifriction balls carried in said loose annular bearing, a pivot-point on the upper end of said last-named stem above said bearing, and a counterbalanced pivot-member resting on said pivot-point and having means for attaching an electric conductor thereto.

13. In a recording-compass, the combination of a liquid-filled compass-box containing a floating pivoted magnetic needle and covered by a glass plate having a central opening therein, a base mounted in said central opening and having a central vertical passageway, an annular block of insulating material mounted upon said base, a ring of contact-points mounted in said block concentric with the axis of said needle, a vertical stem mounted on said needle projecting through said passageway, a contact-arm mounted on said vertical stem, and an antifriction device mounted on the end of said arm and making contact successively with said pins.

14:. In a recording-compass, the combination of a liquid-filled compass-box containing a floating pivoted magnetic needle and covered by a glass plate having a central opening therein, a base mounted in said central opening and having a central vertical passageway, an annular block of insulating material mounted upon said base, a ring of contact-points mounted in said block concentric with the axis of said needle, a vertical stem mounted on said needle and projecting through said passageway, a contactarm mounted on said vertical stem, a vertical pivot-pin mounted on the end of said coi'itact-arm, and a star-wieel pivoted on said pivot-point and the arms of which 6X tend between said contact-pins and make contact successively therewith.

15. in a recording compass, the combination of a liquid-filling compass-box containing a floating pivoted magnetic needle and covered by a glass plate having a central opening therein, a base mounted in said central opening and having a central vertical passageway, an annular block of insulating material mounted upon said. base, a ring of contact-points mounted in said block concentric with the axis of said needle, a vertical stem mounted on said needle and projecting through said passageway, a contact-arm mounted on said vertical stem, an antitriction device mounted on the end of said arm and making contact successively with said pins, 1 vertical stem surmounting said arm, and a bearing surrounding said last-named stem.

16. In a recording-compass, the combination oil? a liquid-tilled compass-box containing a floating pivoted magnetic needle and covered by a glass plate having a central opening therein, a base mounted in said central opening and having a central vertical passageway, an annular block of insulating material mounted upon said base, a ring of contact-points mounted in said block concentric with the axis of said needle, a vertical stem mounted on said needle and projecting through said passageway, a contact-arm mounted on said vertical stem, an antitriction device mounted on the end of said arm and making contact successively with said pins, a vertical stein suri'nountiug said arm, a b airing surrounding said last-named stem, a pivot-point above said bearing, and a eoimterweighted pivot-member resting on said pivot-point and having means for connecting an e ectric conductor thereto.

1?. ln a recording-compass, the combination or a liquid-tilled con'ipass-box containing a Floating pivoted magnetic needle and covered by a glass plate having a central opening therein, a, base mounted in said central opening and having a central vertical passageway, an annular block of insulating material mounted upon said base, a ring of contact-points mounted in said block concentric with the axis of said needle, a vertical stem mounted on said needle and projecting through said passageway, a contact-arm mounted on said vertical stem, a pivot-point mounted on the end of said contact-arm, an antitriction contact star-wheel pivoted on said pivot-pin, a vertical stem surmounting said contact-arm, an annular loose bearing surrounding said stem and carrying antit'riction balls, a bridgesupport mounted on said block and carrying said bearing, a pivotpoint on. the upper end of said stem above said. bearing, andv a counterweighted pivotmember resting freely on said pivot-point and having means for connecting an electric conductor thereto,

18. In a recording-compass, the combination of a line of contact-points, a contactpiece, and an antit'riction device pivoted on said contact-piece and adapted by rotation on its pivot to contact successively with said points.

10. In a recording compass, the combination of a line-of contact-points, a contactpiece moving adjacent to said points, and a star-wheel. rotatably mounted on said contact-piece and adapted to contact successively with said points as said contact-piece moves along them.

20. In a recording-compass, the combination. of a line of contact-points, a contactpiece moving along said line of contactpoints, an upright pivot-pin mounted on said contact-piece, and a star-wheel having a hollow cap resting on said pivot-pin, the arms of said star-wheel projecting between said contact-points and making contact successively therewith as said. contact-piece moves along them.

2L. In a reeording-compass, means for causing the needle to make and break a plurality o1 electric-circuits as it changes in direction, the same comprising an upright stem mounted on the needle and coincident with the pivotal axis thereof, a contactarm mounted upon said stem in a substantially horizontal plane, a ring of contact-pins concentric with said arm, a star-wheel. pivotally mounted on the end of said arm and having radiating arms adapted to engage successively between said pins, and means for making electrical connection with one of said contact-pins through said contact-arm. and star-wheel.

22. in a recording-compass, means for causing the needle to make and break a plurality of electric circuits as it changes in direction, the same comprising an upright stem mounted on the needle and coincident with the pivotal axis thereof, a contactarm mounted upon said stem in a substantially horizontal, plane, a rim of contact-pins concentric with said arm, a star-wheel pivotally mounted on the end of said arm and having radiating arms adapted to engage successively between said pins, means making electrical connection with one of said contactpins through said contact-arm and starwheel, and electric-circuit having one pole connected to said arm and a plurality of conductors equal in number to said contact-pins and connected to the respective contact-pins.

23. In a recordingcompass a case filled With liquid and closed by a domed transparent cover over the top, said cover having a hole in the center whereby any entrapped air shall converge to the center and escape through said hole, a compass-needle pivotally mounted Within said case, an upright stem mounted centrally on said needle and passing through said hole, and devices for recording the movement of the needle connected with said stem.

24;. In a recording-compass, the combination of a liquid-filled compass-box containing a floating pivoted magnetic needle and covered by a glass plate having a central opening therein, a base mounted in said central opening and having a central vertical passageway, an annular block of insulating material mounted upon said base, a ring of contact-points mounted in said block concentric With the axis of said needle, a VeP-' tical stem mounted on said needle projecting through said passageway, and a contact-arm mounted on said vertical stern.

In Witness whereof We have hereunto set our hands this 14 day of December, 1908.

EDWIN SGHUETTE. NICHOLAS DEDRICK. Witnesses:

LOUIS SCHUETTE, EUGENE DRAMM. 

